11.25.2009

When my Miss B was 6 she very clearly told me EXACTLY what she wanted in a mitten down to all the minute details. These mittens she envisioned had one very clear design detail... they needed a flap so she could get her fingers out for all the important playground activities that required them. So, I made her a pair, just like she ordered, and loved the design so much that I wrote it up and submitted it to Judith Durants 101 Designer One Skein Wonders.Flip-Top Mittens was one of my first published patterns, and I am still so proud of it!

As will happen, Miss B grew out of her gloves, and though they are pink and purple they are now being sported by her 5-year-old buddy, Jayden. Gotta love that boy! This fall she requested a new pair and once I finished my last round of deadlines I quick whipped her out some in Schaefer Yarn's Nichole. The original pattern called for Schaefer Yarn's Lola, which is being discontinued. This was also a great way for me to test that they would work well in Nichole as well... which they definitely do!

I have to say, traveling is one of my favorite things to do! I am pretty much constantly on the move. At least once a month, and often more, we head out on an adventure. Sometimes I wonder if one reason I travel so much is how much knitting I can get done. I've traveled, though, for way longer than I've knitted, so I don't think this is the case.

When I travel, I keep it light, small projects that are compact and are
easy to negotiate while I am on the move. I tend to copy notes and
charts and paste them onto index cards so I am not carrying around lots
of paper. (I do end up having a stash spot in my suitcase for extra
paperwork and patterns in case I need to look at them...) See how small and lightweight that ziplock baggie is for the cuffs? I always bring WAY too much with me, but at least it's small!

I've really enjoyed looking through It's in the Bag's pages looking for projects that will travel well, there are so many scarves, socks and kid designs to choose from that will pack up perfectly for your winter travels.

Where are your travels taking you this winter? Leave a comment telling me what your travel knitting is this season and you'll be entered to win a copy of It's in the Bag,and the Namaste needle case shown above. You have until the end of the blog tour to leave your comment (11/25 with Faina Goberstein.)

Don't forget to check out the next stop on the blog tour tomorrow:

The Fitter Knitter : Cindy will chat with Colleen Smitherman about her It's a Wrap shrug. Colleen will share some of her inspiration behind this fashion-forward design.

11.17.2009

Kat asked me a lot of questions about my Andrea Beaded Cuffs one of the 48 patterns in It's in the Bag I know it helps for my beaded patterns when I supply tutorials. When I read through Kat's questions I realized just what needed to go into the tutorial for these Cuffs. So those of you hesitant to knit with beads, hesitate no longer, this tutorial will hold your hand every step of the way!

The Blog Tour continues on all week; tomorrow stop by Susie Gaughan's blog- Knitting Knoobie: Don't miss Susie's review of many of the easy and beginner projects as she discusses them from a "newer knitter's" perspective.

Come back to visit me on Saturday, I'll share some of my own knit packing tips with you AND have a give-away for a copy of It's in the Bag and really nice Namaste needle case!

11.16.2009

This tutorial will take you through the "steps" of my Andrea Beaded Cuff Pattern available in It's in the Bag that are a bit tricky so you can make them on your own. My own version of this pattern will be available in January. Keep in mind that not every step of the cuff is done here, only the ones that I thought could use illustration. Please let me know if there is anything you need explained further. I'm happy to help!

How to get your Beads onto the Yarn:
(you can click on any of these pictures to make them bigger!)

Using dental floss threader, thread end of yarn through large loop at bottom of threader leaving a tail. Pick up beads with threader and slide down onto the yarn. This is a great job to give a 9-year-old if you have one around!

Making a Yarn Over with a Bead:

Slide bead up the yarn with your right hand until it touches the right hand needle, bring yarn with bead on it up and over right hand needle. I use my right index finger to keep the bead in place until I work the next stitch.Working into Yarn Over's with Beads: (WS rows)

When working back on purl rows you want your bead to be to the BACK of the left hand needle, i.e. on the left leg of the yarn over, when working into it.

Knitting a Stitch with 1 Bead:

pic 1 pic 2

Pic 1: Put your right ndl into the next stitch on your left needle to work as usual, then slide a bead up until it is touching the right hand needle.

Pic 2: Then work the stitch, pulling the bead through, the bead will lock into place on the new stitch you just made!

Working Beaded Attached I-Cord: (please see the pattern for complete step-by-step instructions, these photos are meant to help you with the more tricky parts)

pic 1 pic 2

Pic 1: Shows stitch being picked up along edge of cuff.

Pic 2: Shows all stitches being slid to other end of needle to begin next row.

When working into an i-cord stitch with bead on it make sure that the bead is to the BACK of the left hand needle.

Working Beaded Clasp:

String 3 beads onto yarn with a small sewing needle or a dental floss threader, leaving a 3 inch tail go back through the beads in the same direction again creating a loop.

String on 3 more beads and go back through the first 3 beads again.

You will have a circle of 6 beads with a length of yarn running through the middle of it. Attach this to the opposite end of the bracelet in line with the first loop. Sew it down only on that center thread. This is important so that the loop can go all the way around the “button” and catch itself. If you sew it down on the edges the loop won’t have any grip and your bracelet will fall off!

Status: 1 sleeve and body up to neckline split done! I am making this a v-neck referring to the mods made here. I VOW to only work on this once I get the Snuggler off to tech and model knitters. You can see from my Rav page that I haven't knit on it since last December, a travesty for something SO beautiful!

Status : MUST RIP and start again... major knitter's denial here, added one more lace rpt as the gauge on Anne is smaller and I was making them for my hubby, it kept saying they were loose, I kept knitting, and then when knit group saw it, the first thing they said was... THEY ARE BIGGG, and so, I shall rip and repeat with one less lace repeat (i.e. make it just like Cookie wrote it in the first place!)

Status: One almost down, must make thumb a little longer, then one to go! I love this pattern and will devote a whole post to it once the second mitten is done.

The Snuggler a new design by me: Yarn: Schaefer Yarn, Susan; Barbara McClintock
Status: Almost done with the hood, then finish writing up pattern, size the pattern, and off to the techy people to "fix" it for me!

Walking Spiral Cap and Socks is a SUPER cute set to keep your wee one, or your friend's wee one, warm on those chilly fall and winter days! Both the cap and the sock have an easy to follow walking spiral rib stitch that is both charted and written out. You can easily add i-cords onto the end of the cap if you need to be able to tie-it on I have to admit, I kind of wish I had them on there for this shoot, this is the ONLY good pic I got of Ollie wearing the cap... it turns out that 18 month-olds don't always like to keep their hats on for pictures. I have a MAJOR respect for photographers who take great pics of babies and toddlers. They are a majorly moving target, my shutter was definitely not fast enough for this little imp!